Camping Statistics 2026 – USA & North America

Camping continues to grow as a popular outdoor activity worldwide. More people are participating in different forms of camping, exploring various accommodation options, and adopting new travel patterns. To cater to these evolving preferences, campgrounds are expanding their services to include RV camping, glamping, and eco-friendly options.

These changes are evident in the latest camping statistics and trends in North America.

• 52.16 million North American households camped in 2025, almost unchanged from 2024¹.
• 87.99 million North American households identified as camping households in 2023².
• 42% of campers in 2025 were Millennials and Gen Zers¹.
• More than 2.2 million North American households camped for the first time in 2025, and a quarter of new campers were Baby Boomers.¹
• Total camping households grew 63% between 2014 and 2025, from 32.04 million to 52.16 million¹.
• Just over 9.9 million North American households camped in an RV in 2025, and 67% of them traveled in an RV they own.¹
• Over 15 million households glamped in 2025, or 29% of camping households, up from 24% in 2024.¹
• One in five campers said the shoulder season is the best time of year to camp in 2025, and 76% of Boomers camp off-season to avoid crowds.¹
• Camping accounted for 23% of all leisure trips in 2025, down from a 40% peak in 2021.¹

• Campers spent an average of 7.3 nights camping in 2025, up from 6.9 in 2024 and 6.7 in 2023, and RVers averaged 11.7 nights.¹
• Campers are camping less often than before the pandemic: the share who camp three or more times a year has fallen 10 percentage points since 2019.¹

In 2025, Gen Z and Millennials together made up 42% of campers¹.

• Generational Split: Among new campers in 2023, 21% were Gen Z, 28% were Millennials, 22% were Gen X, and 29% were Baby Boomers or the Silent Generation.⁴
• 2025 Split: Across all campers in 2025, 13% were Gen Z, 29% Millennials, 29% Gen X, 28% Baby Boomers and 1% the Silent Generation. That was Boomers' highest share since 2015, when they also made up 28%, and a quarter of new campers were Boomers.¹

Tents remained the most popular way to camp in 2025, chosen by 47% of camping households, down from 50% in 2024 and 64% in 2020.¹

Although it remains the most popular type of accommodation, tent camping now accounts for less than 50% of all camping households, as more people choose cabins and glamping.

• Cabins and Glamping: These options have seen the largest increase in popularity, with over 15 million households glamping in 2025, or 29% of camping households, up from 24% in 2024.¹
• 2025 Preferences: Tents accounted for 47% of camping households in 2025, RVs 19% and cabins or glamping 29%, glamping's highest share yet, with over 15 million households glamping that year.¹

• Glamping in 2025: Glamping accounted for 2.09 million new campers in 2025, down from 2.95 million in 2024¹, and 31% of new campers identified themselves as glampers.

• Wellness: Mental wellbeing is now the top reason to camp: in 2025, 49% of campers booked camping trips to improve their mental wellbeing, and 77% of U.S. campers said simply being in nature is enough, without structured programming.¹
• Plans for 2026: 31% of campers plan to take more camping trips and nights in 2026, 38% of U.S. campers want to visit historic sites and 27% want to try a road trip that includes camping for the first time.¹
• Popular activities: The top three outdoor activities in 2025 were water-based activities such as paddleboarding, swimming and fishing (54%), hiking or trail running (49%) and canoeing or kayaking (27%). The chart below ranks the activities U.S. campers said benefit their physical health in 2025:
  • 67% walked on a beach or relaxed near a river.
  • 52% went wildlife viewing.
  • 50% went night-sky viewing.
  • 42% took mindful strolls.
  • 40% had a picnic at an outdoor spot.¹

Blended Travel

• In 2025, 81% of travelers who took part in outdoor recreation extended those trips into overnight stays at a campground or hotel. Campgrounds were the most common place to stay (57%), followed by hotels or motels (49%), cabins, cottages, yurts or on-site RV rentals (45%), staying with family or friends (33%) and vacation home rentals (21%).¹

Road Trips

• KOA calls 2026 the year of the road trip: in 2025, 27% of U.S. campers (21% in Canada) said a road trip that includes camping is a new experience they want to try, 38% want to visit historic sites, 33% want to visit small towns, and 55% of Gen Z said they are likely to rent an RV for a trip. Among those planning to travel Route 66 for its centennial, over half plan to camp along the way.¹

Off-Season and Winter Camping

Camping outside the summer peak keeps growing: in 2025, one in five North American campers said the shoulder season is the best time of year to camp, and 76% of Boomers camp in the shoulder seasons to avoid crowds.¹

• When campers plan to camp: 43% in June to August, 26% in September and October, 25% in April and May, and 6% in the winter months from November to March.¹
• Why camp off-season: avoiding crowds (45%), lower cost (42%) and better weather (41%) lead the reasons, while 35% of campers avoid summer because campgrounds are overcrowded and 30% because it is too expensive.¹

Connectivity matters more to campers every year, even as fewer of them work while they camp.

• Wi-Fi as an Amenity: In 2025, 47% of campers said Wi-Fi is very important when choosing a campground (50% of new campers versus 43% of experienced ones), and campers stay an average of 5.2 extra nights a year where Wi-Fi is available, rising to 9.3 nights for RVers.¹
• Working While Camping: Only 26% of campers always work while camping in 2025, the lowest share since KOA began tracking it, although 46% of Gen Z campers still do; just 7% plan to work more while camping in 2026.¹
• Booking Challenges: More than half of campers had difficulty booking a campsite in 2025 because campgrounds were full,¹⁰ after 56.1% in 2024¹¹ and 45.5% in 2023³. Popular parks and campgrounds still sell out quickly, especially on weekends.

The Dyrt offers detailed insights into campers' preferences and camping destinations in the U.S.

How popular is camping in the U.S.?

• 82.4 million Americans camped at least once in 2025, the second-highest total on record behind only the 84.8 million of 2023, including 2.6 million first-time campers.¹⁰
• 85% of U.S. adults have camped at least once in their life, and the median camper took six camping trips in 2025.¹²

What types of camping are most popular in the U.S.?

• 52.2% of campers took at least one trip in an RV or trailer in 2025, keeping RVs and trailers the most popular way to camp.⁸
• Tent camping, glamping, van camping and truck camping all grew in popularity in 2025, especially among younger campers.¹²
• Nearly half of campers camped with a dog, and more than 25% worked from a campsite during the year.¹²

Who are the primary campers in the U.S.?

RV and trailer camping rises with age: in 2025 only 21% of campers aged 34 and under camped in an RV or trailer, against 64% of those aged 65 and over.⁸

• The camping population grew more diverse in 2025, with more LGBTQ+ and BIPOC campers than in previous years.¹²